For the second time at the Batavia Downs meet, Jim McNeight Jr. visited the winner’s enclosure five times during a single card on Wednesday night (Nov. 29) to further enhance what has been a career year for the 27-year-old reinsman. His first foray with five was on Oct. 6.

McNeight won on Wednesday with Mach Of Shame (1:59, $6.90), Fear Her Touch (1:57.2, $13.80), Chipper Daisey (1:57.1, $6.50), Ariyana Star (1:58, $118) and Red Hot Sun (1:59.1, $11).

McNeight is currently the fourth leading driver of the Batavia meet with 57 wins, but his numbers for the year are what really stand out. He has 124 wins, $1.06 million in earnings and a UDR of .241, all of which are career highs by a great margin. 

The one race McNeight didn’t win on Wednesday was the featured $15,000 Open Pace for fillies and mares where Ray Fisher Jr. steered Summer Slash to her first victory after a two-month layoff. 

Summer Slash (pictured above) was third and eight lengths off the pace of Won Surreal Deal (Kyle Cummings), who skated through quarters of :27.2 and :57. Summer Slash made up the deficit by the five-eighths and Fisher pulled the mare heading up the backstretch. As the field moved past three-quarters, Summer Slash moved into second place and, under a line drive by Fisher, ran down Won Surreal Deal in the stretch to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:55. 

The win was the ninth of the year for Summer Slash ($8.30), who is owned by Ilovemyharnesshorsesummer and trained by Ryan Swift.

In the $11,500 conditioned pace for fillies and mares, A Black Diamond (Dave McNeight III) won her 13th race of the year, eight of which have come at Batavia Downs. After leaving from post one, A Black Diamond led every step of the mile and won by three-quarters of a length over the tripped-out Imprincessgemma A (Brett Beckwith) in 1:55.4. A Black Diamond ($2.40) is owned by Lav Racing Stable and trained by Russell Bratt. 

Jim Rothfuss had two training wins to lead all conditioners on Wednesday. 

Live harness racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. and there will be a $519 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race 13.

(With files from Batavia Downs)